How hostels charge...

Well, whether you realized it or not, you were paying for two on the previous trip. Hotels in general charge essentially by the person, you are booking a "double" which, though it varies, means two people in one or maybe two beds, or two beds pushed together. The more basic your accomodation, the more variation you will see. Hostels used to mean gender separated dorm style rooms for the cheap (10-15 euro) but they have changed, they now have private rooms or family rooms with prices rivaling smaller hotels. Even the dorms can be pricy in comparision.

Hostels charge per person, and yes, private rooms cost more. And why shouldn't they, since breakfast is often included and you are both going to eat? You also would presumably both shower and use the facilities.

I understand that, but we paid 40-50 euro a night for a private room last year, now it seems that private rooms are 50+ per person in a private room.

Gosh, I've paid that much for a really nice budget hotel! December is low season, but maybe not if it's around Christmas. But most of the time there are winter rates. In Prague in November 2007, I stayed at the Crystal Palace, downtown Prague for $56 euros! Includes breakfast. It's a beautiful hotel. Please look into that since hostels for a private room cost that much!
Keep Traveling!
Lisa P.

thanks Lisa :). I will have to check out the hotel.

If you do get a good rate at the Crystal Palace, be sure you print your reservation with the price. They didn't want to give me that good rate when I checked out, but when I showed them my printout, they had to give it to me! You will have a wonderful trip!!

I like hostels, especially when traveling alone. If you want a private room for a family or couple, you usually get a better deal looking at B&Bs, Pensions or budget hotels.

Even with a private room. Hostels will give you a collection of single beds. A private room for two will have two single beds (or more) in the room.

I can't say for the other countries, but if you are paying €50+ pP for a hostel in Germany, you are doing something wrong.

I toured Bavaria last October and except for just outside Munich, I averaged €34 per night, with breakfast, single occupancy. All were private rooms; only one had the bath down the hall. In Munich I paid €54, but double occupancy would have been €40 pP or less.

For my upcoming trip to Germany, I already have all my accommodations reserved at about €27 per night, w/ breakfast. That does not include the last night near the airport (Mainz), but even in that hotel, 2P would be less than €100.

Two suggestions: stay out of major cities. Apparently hostels in cities are more than hotels in small towns.find the town's website, generally www townname de. They usually have a list of accommodation, many at reasonable prices.

this is what I thought Lee....There is two of us, me and my girlfriend. So we have to pay double occupancy, and around Christmas/ new years the prices are hiked up.

I am trying to see if I can couch surf, but it seems a bit flaky .... I have requested to over 10 people, they all seem to be gone, or just don't respond...oh well.

We are staying in Munich, then to Prague...so we will not be in Germany very long (4 days).

Anthony...

Check out these hostels in Munich:

*Easy Palace
www.easypalace.de

*Wombat’s
www.wombats-hostels.com
(A double is 29 to 35 Euros during the time you will be there!)

and these in Prague:

*Ritchie’s Hostel
www.ritchieshostel.cz

*Clown and Bard
www.clownandbard.com
(Double with shared bathroom...780 CZK)

*Traveller’s Hostel
www.travellers.cz
(double with shared is about 29.4 Euro/690 CZK, double with private bathroom is about 35 Euro/800 CZK)

And what other cities will you be in?

thanks Amber, I have actually looked at most of those, but not all.

we will also be in London and Amsterdam.

Wombats looks good, but doubles costs are twice as much, as there is two of us...of course.

You really might be better off waiting to book when you are in Europe. There are often higher prices tacked on when you book ahead (even through the hostels website) I recommend making a list of your top 5 hostels for each city you are going to (with address and phone number) and walking in, asking to see the room first, and booking as you go. I do not think availability will be a problem during your travel dates. Good luck! -Amber

Thanks Amber :)...but I have been calling most places, and emailing and they are saying they are either booked up, OR are charging 100% surcharge (twice as much!), because it's considered a high season...not sure if this started this year, or what...

Have you stayed in a hostel? I just got back from a trip (alone) to Italy. I stayed in single rooms in both hotels and hostels. A single room has one single bed, and the single bed is usually about 78 cm wide (31.5 inches). I think in one or two hotels the bed may have been a couple inches wider, but maybe I just got used to the narrower bed. A standard American twin mattress is 39" wide (100 cm). The one night I couldn't get a single, I had to pay for a double room - there was one fullsize bed

Anthony: doubles in HI hostels in Germany are not always a great deal except in larger cities where hotels are pricey; they are als usually not as enjoyable, unless you enjoy the sound of prepubescents racing up and down the halls at all hours of the day - hostels there tend to be overrun with groups of school kids, although you may avoid them if school isn't back in session yet after the holidays.

You'll find private B&B's all over the country in the smaller places where Germans tend to travel on vacation. I was in the Black Forest this summer and often paid less than 20 Euros single for a private room, breakfast included; doubles are slightly cheaper per person as a rule.

But hostels can often be the best budget choice if you'll be in major cities.